The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-09-02


.........--....... Observation-Disclosures.
When saw the tomb a bouquet of fresh
flowers was lylsg upon it, and learned that
nearly every day this occurs, and the tomb
is seldom without its tribute of flowers. ex-
cept in the extreme wintry months. Many
of these offerings are wild flewers-hearts-
ease, golden rod, clover and daisies-but
occasionally bouquets are placed upon the
tomb which are specimens of the finest and
costliest work of the florists, and made up
OF the rarest and most delicate flowers from
the Conservatives. Choice exotics and
beautiful flowers from the Conservatives of
Washington have been placed on this mys-
ferrous grave in mid-winter
There is no man or woman, Alexandria
born, who will not readily recount to you
the legend of the Female Stranger but
they differ essentially in minor details, and,
indeed, in some of the principal points. One
thing is sure-the woman who was buried
there was unknown in Alexandria, as was
the man who claimed to be her husband.
They came to Alexandria upon a foreign
vessel, and took quarters at the leading
hotel. Some say it was the City Hotel, or
the Indian Queen Hotel, and that it is now
the old Braddock House, of which | wrote.
She was beautiful young girl, and he a
handsome and distinguished-look man.
They bad one servant, and gave every evil
great wealth. The old legends of Alexan-
dria are still full of the stories, dimmed by
distance in time, of her beauty, her Jewels,
and her magnificent wardrobe.
The two had the best quarters in the hotel
nothing that money could buy did they de-
ny themselves, but they absolutely refused
to make any acquaintance, or give any
clew to their identity, and all inducements
to the valet who accompanied them were in
Ila o,,l
could be gathered about them, beyond the
belief that they were English i'll blood and
noble in rank. The ship they came in had
sailed away, and her people knew as little
about her as the Alexandria folks did, and
with her departure all clew to them was
lost.
One gentleman tells me that his mother
often told him the story of the beautiful
Female Stranger" and he had heard it
told hundreds of times. His mother and
grandmother united in declaring her a very
beautiful young woman, kind and gracious
evidently born lady. They say she and
the gentleman with her were English in ap-
pearance. She was above medium height,
with full, voluptuous figure, and masses of
blonde hair. Her eyes were large and ex-
pressive, her mouth particularly small and
sweet. Her manner, while dignified, was
condescending and pleasant, and as she
uIONo dDOuO no ever dp-
pealed to her in vain for charity. To the
charities and charitable organizations she
gave literally, but refused to attend any
meeting or receive any visitors.
Her husband, for so he declares himself
upon the tombstone, behaved much after
the same manner. He was handsome, state
ly, and dignified, but charmed all those he
came in contact with by his manners and
wit and good breeding. All the meeting
there was between them and the people of
Alexandria was such as came by chance,
and could not be avoided.
Five months after they came to Alexan-
drla, the young wife became ill with one of
those low fevers peculiar to newly-settled
country, and died This appears to be the
general opinion, but there are those who
have it that she died in childbirth. The
weight of evidence, however, is against the
latter idea, and the physician who attended
her, SO his descendants say, denied the truth
OF the story about her. dying in childbirth
or from any such cause.
Whenever the physician was present,
either the husband or the valet was also
present. She was never allowed to be alone
With any person except those accompany
ing her, and when she died she lay in the
arms of her husband, with his lips pressed
TO hers.
Only he and the valet were present to
bury her. He sought the pleasant spot
where the tomb now stands, upon high
ground, and already taken for cemetery
by st. Paul's church. He and the valet
were the only mourners. He staid long
enough TO order and see completed and
placed over the grave the elaborate and
handsome tablet as it now stands, left sum
OF money to keep il in repair for term of
years, with the promise that he would come
again or send money, when that was ex-
pended, took ship, and sailed away, and
was never heard of after.
mat is the straight history of the ''Fe-
male Stranger" as near as it can be given
from legend, files of papers, and general re-
port, There are persons who assert that
persons who saw the gentleman in Alexan-
uria, afterward saw him in New Orleans,
and some even say that he came to Alexan-
ara years afterwards, and visited the grave
Of his wife. 4
Another story, pretty well believed in,
ana coming down from reliable authority.
Is that one evening a vessel, evidently a
Foreign man-of-war, anchored just below
Alexandria. During the night the COM
hnnder and two boats crews came Off and
went TO the grave Of the "Femalc Stranger"
exhumed tho remains, took them to the
snip, and, at daybreak, dropped down the
rlver, and disappeared. Many believe this
story 10 be true, and that II the grave were
opened an empty vault would be found, for
TIE collin ocrordtuv Il, ffseOufff WINS placed